Alabama schools Superintendent Tommy Bice talks about the Hoover school system's decision to eliminate bus service most students in the 2014-15 school year during an interview on Alabama Public Television's "Capitol Journal" show that aired on Friday, Aug. 23, 2013. (Screen shot from "Capital Journal" show)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - The Alabama Department of Education is closely watching the debate in Hoover over whether the school system will eliminate buses for most students in the 2014-15 school year, state schools Superintendent Tommy Bice told Alabama Public Television in an interview that aired Friday night.

"Is that the right decision for Hoover? Only they can make that," Bice told APT anchor Don Dailey during an interview on the "Capitol Journal" show. "There's been lots of good information shared on both sides, and what my hope is that they'll be able to resolve that locally without having to have other people intervene in that. But at the end of the day, should we have to become part of helping make that solution, we welcome that opportunity if it's affirmed that the welfare and the safety of the students would be in jeopardy."